Floating drydock



June 23, 1942. c. o. KNUDSEN FLOATING DRYDOCK Filed Oct. 7, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet l arm-1e; anuazsm,

June 23, 1942. c. o. KNUDSEN FLOATING DRYDOCK Filed Oct. 7, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Ill II III I J 7. l 1 P II I. L r F t'liarlels' 0.Knudseri,

INVENTOR.

Patented June 23, 1942 warren stares 3 Claims.

The invention herein disclosed relates to floating drydocks.

The objects of the invention are to provide drydock facilities adaptable for salvaging and repair work, for raising sunken wrecks and the like, and which will have desired manoeuverability, power and buoyancy, etc., for all such purposes.

Further objects of the invention will appear as the specification proceeds. The novel features of the invention through which attainment of all objects is effected are definitely set forth in the following specification, illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings and broadly covered in the claims.

The drawings show by way of example certain practical embodiments of the invention, but it will be appreciated that the structure may be modified and changed all within the true intent and broad scope .of the invention as herein defined and claimed.

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the dock with parts indicated in broken lines.

Fig. 2 is an end elevation.

Fig. 3 is a plan view.

Figs. 4 and 5 are diagrammatic side views illustrating cooperative use of two of the floating drydocks to raise and repair sunken vessels.

As shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the drydock consists of a buoyant structure having a central section or sections 1, and side wings 8, carrying tracks 9, for traveling power equipment such as hoisting swing cranes It], and bridge cranes II.

The dock shown has a bow section I2, and stern sections l3, 13, the latter powered with propulsive equipment [4, and separated by a bay 15, which can be bridged over, when a ship is docked or whenever desired, by deck sections l6, which may be hinged as at [1, Fig. 2, to drop down out of the way when a ship is to .be drawn into the dock.

Grooved keel engaging rollers l8, may be provided at the central keel block section of the dock and any usual or special shoring means may be provided, such as indicated at It].

The hull is suitably divided into compartments for buoyancy, supply and transportation purposes. Thus the central keel section may be laid off in tanks for carrying fuel oil and the side wings in tanks for carrying fresh water. Suitable pumps and valve equipment are provided for controlling and effecting transfer between tanks for trimming and buoyancy purposes. The bunker tanks of the center section may carry all kinds of supplies for the dock and for capital ships and tenders to work with the dock.

Lower cranes and hoisting equipment such as indicated at 28, may be provided at the deck level of the middle section and if desired, the trackage .on top of the side wings may have a spur or spurs running down to a lower level or levels to enable operation of one or any number of traveling cranes wherever required.

The dock may be manoeuvered under its own power or with tow boats or partly both. The traveling cranes may be equipped with grapples or the like, such as indicated at 2i, to facilitate connection with sunken wrecks and the like. The trackson the side wings enables as many cranes to be used as needed for connection of any number of lines. Hoisting effort may thus be applied in as many places and in as many different locations, as special conditions require. By independent or conjoint use of bridge cranes and swinging cranes, the hoisting elforts may be applied practically as may be needed. Vessels which are light enough may be simply hoisted by the cranes and then transported into the dock over the keel blocks. The bay at the stern end, the grooved keel rollers and related power devices facilitate such operations. The cranes at opposite sides may be connected with slings placed about the hulls and the cranes may be assisted in sliding the hulls into position by capstans and cables operating from the bow end 0 the dock;

The drydock may operate alone or in conjunction with a second drydock, substantially as indicated in Figs. 4 and 5, and in manoeuvering,

the buoyancy of one may be reduced, to more or less float a ship in position therein, while the main hoisting effort is applied by the cooperating dock. For greater manoeuverability, propellers may be provided at both ends, instead of only at one end as shown. The decking panels i6, when lowered, serve as guards to prevent cables or other equipment fouling the propellers at opposite sides of the bay in the end of the dock. In Figs. 3 and 4, capstans for drawing a hull into the dock are indicated at 22.

What is claimed is:

l. A floating drydock, comprising a hull having buoyant bottom and side sections, said bottom section being of less length than the buoyant side sections to provide a bay in one end of the dock and removable decking over said bay for continuing said bottom section the full length of the side sections, said decking being in sections mounted to swing downward from the sides of said bay to afford clear entrance into said bay.

2. A ship salvaging floating drydock, comprising a submersible hull having a buoyant center section and buoyant side sections, said buoyant center section having a permanent deck for drydocking purposes and an open bay at one end of the same between the buoyant side sections for entry of a ship to be salvaged and to be drydocked on said deck, said buoyant side sections rising above said buoyant center section at opposite sides of said drydocking deck, elevated trackways on top of said upstanding buoyant side sections and extending along opposite sides of said open bay, removable and replaceable decking over said bay and coextensive with the permanent. decking to afford drydocking facilities the full length of the hull and a bridge crane operable along the elevated trackways ontop of said buoyant side sections and over said bay to service the full length of said drydock.

3. A ship salvaging floating drydock, comprising a controllably submersible hull having a buoyant center section and buoyant side and forward end sections, said buoyant center section having a permanent deck for supporting large Vessels for drydocking purposes enclosed within said buoyant side and forward end sections, said buoyant side and forward end sections rising to a height above said buoyant center section sufficient to form a drydock enclosure for a large ship when the drydock hull is submerged to admit a vessel at the opposite end between said buoyant side sections and over the then submerged buoyant center section, trackways on top of said elevated buoyant side sections in position to be above water when said center section is so submerged, hoisting cranes operable along said elevated trackways for assisting in locating and drawing a ship into the enclosed water between said partially submerged buoyant side walls and power equipment on said elevated portions oi the submersible hull and located toward said forward buoyant end section for drawing a ship into position in the protected water enclosed by the buoyant side and end sections in the submerged relation described said submersible hull having an open bay at the after end of the same between the upstanding side sections of the same and said hoisting cranes being operable along the elevated trackways at opposite sides of said bay for lifting a submerged ship up through said bay into position for said power equipment to draw such ship over the drydocking deck of the center section of the hull.

CHARLES O. KNUDSEN. 

